The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on Friday chose not to revisit a preliminary ruling issued in March by one of its judges, effectively closing Masimo’s latest attempt to block Apple’s redesigned smartwatches. The earlier finding concluded that Apple’s updated devices do not infringe Masimo’s patents tied to blood-oxygen monitoring technology.
This decision allows Apple to continue selling its modified watches in the U.S., preserving a key health feature that had been at the center of the dispute. In a statement, Apple welcomed the outcome, noting that the ruling ensures users can still access the blood-oxygen functionality. The company also pointed to what it described as a years-long legal offensive by Masimo, adding that most of the claims brought against it have not succeeded.
Masimo, now owned by Danaher Corporation, has the option to challenge the ITC’s decision at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. However, the company has so far declined to comment publicly on the latest ruling.
The dispute between the two firms stretches back several years and centers on allegations that Apple recruited Masimo employees and used their expertise to develop its own pulse-oximetry technology—a feature that estimates blood oxygen levels. Masimo has consistently argued that Apple’s implementation relied on its patented innovations.
The conflict reached a critical point in late 2023 when the ITC imposed an import ban on certain Apple Watch models, including the Series 9 and Ultra 2, after finding they infringed Masimo’s patents. In response, Apple removed the blood-oxygen feature from affected devices to keep them on the market.
By August 2024, Apple had reintroduced a redesigned version of the feature, this time shifting how the data is displayed. Instead of showing blood-oxygen readings directly on the watch, the updated system routes that information to paired devices such as the iPhone. This adjustment received clearance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, allowing imports to resume.
Masimo has continued to challenge that workaround, including a separate lawsuit against Customs over its approval of Apple’s revised design.
Beyond the ITC proceedings, the legal battle is unfolding on multiple fronts. Masimo has also sued Apple in federal court in California, alleging patent infringement and theft of trade secrets. In November, a jury awarded Masimo $634 million in damages in one of those cases—a verdict Apple has said it plans to appeal.
With parallel cases still active, the rivalry between the two companies is far from resolved. Still, the ITC’s latest decision marks a notable victory for Apple as it works to maintain its foothold in the increasingly competitive wearable health technology market.